![]() HMAS Murchison operating off the coast of Korea, circa 1951–52 | |
History | |
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Name | Murchison |
Namesake | Murchison River |
Builder | Evans Deakin & Company, Brisbane |
Laid down | 3 June 1943 |
Launched | 31 October 1944 |
Commissioned | 17 December 1945 |
Decommissioned | 15 April 1954 |
Motto | "With Undaunted Heart" |
Honours and awards |
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Fate | Sold for scrap |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Modified River (Bay)-class frigate |
Displacement | 1,537 tons (standard), 2,200 tons (full load) |
Length | 301 ft (92 m) |
Beam | 36 ft (11 m) |
Draught | 12 ft (3.7 m) |
Propulsion | Triple expansion, 2 shafts, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW) |
Speed | 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) |
Complement | 175 |
Armament |
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HMAS Murchison (K442/F442) was a Modified River or Bay-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship was laid down in 1943, but not commissioned until after the end of World War II. Murchison fought in the Korean War, was decommissioned in 1956, and sold for scrap in 1961.
Murchison was one of four Bay-class frigates constructed in Australia during World War II, being laid down by Evans Deakin & Company, Brisbane on 3 June 1943. She was launched on 31 October 1944, and commissioned on 17 December 1945. She was named for the Murchison River in Western Australia. [1]
Completed too late in the war to take part in the fighting, Murchison began her career by visiting Morotai, Ternate, and the Celebes for surveillance duties and War Graves Commission tasks, before sailing to Japan and joining the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. The frigate returned to Australia in May 1946. [1]
Murchison later saw extensive operational service during the Korean War and was involved in the Naval Battle of Han River on 28–30 September 1951, during which she was heavily engaged by Chinese shore installations while conducting riverine operations. Four sailors were wounded in the encounter, while Murchison destroyed a number of Chinese gun positions. [2] The frigate was awarded the battle honour "Korea 1951–52" for her actions during the war. [3] [4]
On 3 October 1952, Murchison was present of the Montebello Islands for the Operation Hurricane nuclear weapons test. [5]
Murchison paid off on 31 January 1956 and she was sold for scrap on 21 September 1961. [1]
Three ships of the Royal Australian Navy have been named HMAS Anzac, after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC).
HMAS Barcoo (K375/F375/A245) was a River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). One of twelve frigates constructed in Australia during World War II, Barcoo, was laid down by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company, Sydney in 1942, and commissioned in early 1944.
HMAS Bataan (D9/I91/D191) was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Laid down in 1942 and commissioned in 1945, the destroyer was originally to be named Chingilli or Kurnai but was renamed prior to launch in honour of the US stand during the Battle of Bataan.
HMAS Burdekin (K376) was a River-class frigate that served the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1944 to 1946. She was named for the Burdekin River in Queensland and was one of twelve River-class frigates built for the RAN during World War II.
HMAS Condamine (K698/F698), named for the Condamine River in Queensland, was a River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Commissioned in 1946, Condamine served in the Korean War. The ship was paid off in 1955, and sold for scrap in 1961.
HMAS Culgoa (K408/F408/A256), named for the Culgoa River, was a Modified River -class frigate that served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
HMAS Nepal (G25/D14) was an N-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Launched in 1941 as Norseman, the ship suffered significant damage during an air raid on the John I. Thornycroft and Company shipyard, and during repairs was renamed to recognise Nepal's contribution to the British war effort. Although commissioned into the RAN in 1942, the ship remained the property of the Royal Navy.
HMAS Quiberon (G81/D20/D281/F03) was a Q-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Although built for the Royal Navy and remaining British property until 1950, Quiberon was one of two Q-class destroyers commissioned into the RAN during World War II. She was passed into full RAN ownership in 1950, and converted into an anti-submarine frigate.
HMAS Quickmatch (G92/D21/D292/F04) was a Q-class destroyer operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Although commissioned into the RAN in 1942, the ship was initially the property of the Royal Navy. Quickmatch served with both the British Eastern Fleet and British Pacific Fleet during World War II. In the 1950s, the destroyer was converted into an anti-submarine frigate. In 1957, Quickmatch operated in support of Malaya during the Malayan Emergency. The ship remained in service until 1963, and after use as an accommodation ship, was sold for scrap in 1972.
HMAS Shoalhaven (K535/M535/F535), named for the Shoalhaven River in New South Wales, was a modified River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy. She was laid down by Walkers at Maryborough on 18 December 1943, launched on 14 December 1944 by Senator Dorothy Tangney and commissioned at Urangan Pier in Hervey Bay in Queensland on 2 May 1946. Her first commander was Commander Rodney Rhoades.
Three ships of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Stuart:
Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy have been named HMAS Warramunga, after the Warumungu Aborigines.
HMAS Benalla (J323/M323), named for the city of Benalla, Victoria, was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by HMA Naval Dockyard in Victoria, Benalla was fitted out as armed survey ship instead of a minesweeper like the rest of the class, and was commissioned into the RAN in 1943.
HMAS Inverell, named for the town of Inverell, New South Wales, was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
HMAS Tobruk (D37) was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard, the destroyer was completed in 1950. Tobruk was deployed to the Korean War twice, and served with the Far East Strategic Reserve on three occasions during the late 1950s. In 1960, she was damaged beyond economical repair by sister ship HMAS Anzac during a gunnery exercise, which led to the destroyer's decommissioning that year, and sale for scrap in 1971.
HMAS Gascoyne (K354/F354/A276) was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Laid down in 1942 and commissioned in 1943, the frigate served during World War II, before being placed in reserve in 1946. Reactivated in 1959, Gascoyne was reclassified as a survey and research ship, a role she fulfilled until she was decommissioned again in 1966, and sold for scrap in 1972.
HMAS Yarra, named for the Yarra River, was a River-class destroyer escort of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The antisubmarine warship operated from 1961 to 1985.
HMAS Wagga (J315), named after the city of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). During the war, the ship operated primarily in New Guinea waters. After war service, the corvette was placed in reserve, but she was recommissioned in 1951 as a training vessel, and was repeatedly moved into and out of reserve. Wagga was decommissioned in 1960, making her the last of the Australian-operated corvettes.
HMAS Hawkesbury (K363/F363) was a River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Hawkesbury saw action during World War II. She entered service with the RAN in mid-1944 and was decommissioned in 1955.
The Naval Battle of the Han River was fought during the Korean War. The main fighting occurred after an Australian frigate was attacked by communist Chinese forces while transiting the Han River in Korea. Up until that time United Nations (UN) warships had operated on the river with only limited Chinese resistance. Following the engagement UN naval forces continued to operate on the Han, although riverine operations were suspended two months later. Four Australians were wounded during the engagement, while Chinese casualties have been estimated at around 40 killed and several guns destroyed.